And I'm a BIG fan of this one... creamy cashew cheddar. It's seriously amazing. I try to limit dairy MOST of the time. Pizza is one of my favorite splurges, as are wine and cheese nights, but in my day-to-day I really don't consume dairy.

I served mine over lentil pasta (also good) and it totally hit the "mac & cheese" spot.

Ingredients:

-1 1/3 cup raw unsalted cashews (soaked in water for 8 hours)

-1/2 cup roasted butternut squash

-1/4 cup nutritional yeast

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-1/4 cup canned Pimiento peppers

-lemon juice (1/4 lemon)

-1/4 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt

-1/8 tsp nutmeg

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1/4 cup water

Instructions: Throw everything in the Vitamix or food processor. Turn on at speed 1 and slowly increase to speed 7. Then turn on High for 3 minutes. You will get a hot, creamy faux-cheese. Pour over your favorite pasta or use as a dip for nachos. :)

EASY TO USE. It's almost toooooo easy, but I mean that in a great way. This time I made some homemade hummus.

Ingredients:

-1 can chickpeas (low-sodium) WITH the liquid

-1/4 cup tahini, stirred (homemade or store bought)

-1/4 cup lemon juice (approx. 2 lemons)

-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1/4 heaping tsp cumin

-1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

-1 tsp salt

Toppings for Serving:

-paprika

-parsley

Instructions: Set 2 Tbsp chickpeas off to the side for serving. Place the remaining chickpeas and liquid, along with all of the other ingredients (tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt) into your Vitamix or food processor. Turn Vitamix on regular setting starting at setting 1 and slowly moving up to 10. Smooth until well blended; if necessary add in a little more liquid for consistency. Pour into a serving bowl and place the chickpeas you set aside in the center. Sprinkle with Paprika and parsley. Serve with veggies or pita chips or whatever the heck you want!

Not only does this quote remind us to stay present, but it mentions 2 of my fav things.. eating and traveling. Walking is pretty cool, too, I guess.. so, 3 of my fav things! Buddha was a wise, mindful man and the Buddha bowl is a mindful meal jam packed with nutrients. You can make these babies vegan, or non. I made myself this vegan one and it was pretty dang delish, if I do say so myself. Best part.. super simple to throw together!

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Begin to boil 2 cups of water on the stove top in a pot. Mix the chickpeas, chipotle powder, salt, oregano and turmeric with olive oil in a bowl and once thoroughly coated, spread onto a baking sheet (lined with aluminum foil) or a cast iron pan, like I used. When the oven is heated, put the chickpeas in to bake for 15 mins. Once the water is boiling, add quinoa. Let simmer about 10-15 mins and then let cool another 5 mins. Once chickpeas and quinoa are cooked, fix up your Buddha Bowl. I drizzled chipotle bean and Sriracha onto my quinoa and Sriracha and black pepp onto my avo for added flavor. Voila! You made a Buddha Bowl.